Coreopsis plant named ‘Full Moon’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Coreopsis  named ‘Full Moon’ characterized it&#39;s large, bright yellow flowers with overlapping ray florets, its sturdy stems, its clumping plant habit, its vigorous growth habit, and its perennial habit and cold hardiness to at least to U.S.D.A. 5.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Full Moon’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCoreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis‘Full Moon’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name,‘Full Moon’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennialgrowth for landscape and container use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inHubbardston, Mass. the objective of the breeding program is to develophybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior gardenattributes. In particular, to develop cultivars that are long-lived,sturdy, exhibit a true perennial habit and cold hardy to at leastU.S.D.A. Zone 5 in a wide range of flower colors and plant forms. Theinventor collected seed in the wild from five different species that arenot commercialized and made six generations of crosses to producedinterspecific hybrids to utilize in his breeding work.

The inventor made a cross in 2005 in Hubbardston, Mass. under controlledconditions between an unnamed F1 hybrid between Coreopsis rosea and aninterspecific hybrid from his breeding program as the female parent andan unnamed plant of hybrid Coresopsis from his breeding program as themale parent. Neither parent is patented. ‘Full Moon’ was selected in2006 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in a controlled environment in Hubbardston, Mass. in July of2006 by the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have beendetermined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Full Moon’ as unique from all Coreopsiscultivars and species known to the inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Full Moon’ exhibits large composite flowers up to 7.6 cm (3        inches) in diameter.    -   2. ‘Full Moon’ exhibits composite flowers with overlapping ray        florets that are bright canary yellow in color.    -   3. ‘Full Moon’ exhibits sturdy stems.    -   4. ‘Full Moon’ has a clumping plant habit.    -   5. ‘Full Moon’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.    -   6. ‘Full Moon’ is cold hardy at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

‘Full Moon’ differs from its female parent in that the female parent hasweaker stems, a more lax plant habit and flowers that are smaller andpaler yellow in color. The male parent differs from ‘Full Moon’ inhaving dark yellow flowers with a much shorter blooms period. ‘FullMoon’ can be compared to Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ (not patented) andCoreopsis ‘Créme Brulee’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,096). Both exhibitsflowers that are similar in color to ‘Full Moon’. ‘Full Moon’ differsfrom ‘Moonbeam’ in having larger brighter colored flowers, overlappingray florets, and a clump forming plant habit. ‘Full Moon’ differs from‘Créme Brulee’ in having larger flowers, much sturdier plant habit, andin having a true perennial growth habit in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis.

The photograph in FIG. 1 was taken on a six month old plant of ‘FullMoon’ as grown in a one gallon.

The photograph in FIG. 2 was taken of flowers from 4 month-old plants asgrown in one gallon containers in Hubbardston, Mass. and provides aclose-up view of a flower of ‘Full Moon’ (center) in comparison to aflower of ‘Créme Brulee’ (left) and ‘Coreopsis Moonbean’ (right).

The photograph in FIG. 3 was taken in September of a plant grown in atrial bed in Minnesota for 3 months from a one-gallon container.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately described the colors ofthe new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedfor one year in a trail beds in Hubbardston, Mass. and New Hope, Minn.The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with the 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General Description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from late July until frost in            central Massachusetts.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, clump forming, mounded.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 60 to 75 cm (24 to 36 inches) in            height and 76 to 91 cm (30 to 36 inches) in width.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5, has not been            tested in colder regions.        -   Culture.—Tolerant to a wide range of growing conditions,            growing well in full sun to light shade, in dry to moist            soils if well-drained, performs well in containers.        -   Diseases resistance.—More resistance to powdery mildew has            been observed in comparison to Coreopsis grandiflora            cultivars grown under the same conditions.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine and well-branched.-   Growth and Propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Terminal stem cuttings and division.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Tetragonal, solid.        -   Stem color.—144A with mature stems flecked with 165A.        -   Stem size.—Main stem averages 24 cm in length with laterals            an average of 15 cm in length (excluding peduncles), average            of 3.5 mm in width.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous when young, ridged and sparsely            covered with translucent hairs when mature.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branched, typically branched as            opposite laterals at each node, average of 7 branches per            main stem, pinching is not required for branching, branch            internode about 5 cm in length.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margins.—Palmately dissected into three lobes or            entire, lobes are entire.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 4.5 cm in length and 3 cm in width            when trifid and an average of 4 cm in length and 4 mm in            width when entire, or trifid leaves; center lobes average            3.5 cm in length and 5 mm in width, lateral lobes average 2            cm in length and 3 mm in width.        -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate when entire and trifid lobes are            lanceolate to ligulate.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Only midrib is visible, not conspicuous,            coloration same as leaf.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Dull and puberulent on upper surface and            satiny and puberulent on lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature; upper 137A, lower 137B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Campitulum with ray florets surrounding            disk florets in the center, forming a radiant head,            inflorescences are borne on terminals arising from leaf            axils, in loose open clusters of 2 to 5 capitulums per            lateral branch.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one week until            senescence of ray flowers, bracts and disk flowers are            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Very free flowering, over 200            per one year-old plant.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average 1.5 cm in depth and up to 7.6 cm            in diameter with disk portion up to 2 cm in diameter.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Average of 1 cm in depth and diameter,            shape is spherical, color is a color between 12A and 14A            suffused with 144A towards base.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, average of 16 cm in length and 1.2 mm in            diameter, 144A in color, glabrous surface.-   Involucral bracts:    -   -   Bract number.—Two rows of 8.        -   Bract arrangement.—Outer bracts are unfused and held at            about a 45° angle when flower is fully opened becoming            horizontal after ray florets drop, inner bracts overlap and            surround receptacle with apical portion spreading            (campanulate-like).        -   Bract size.—Outer bracts about 6.5 mm in length and 2 mm in            width, inner bracts about 1 cm in length and 3.5 mm in            width.        -   Bract color.—Outer bracts 137C in both surfaces, inner            bracts; base 144A with apical region 7A.        -   Bract texture.—Glabrous, inner bracts waxy.        -   Bract apex.—Acute.        -   Bract base.—Truncate.        -   Bract shape.—Outer bracts lanceolate, inner bracts broadly            lanceolate.-   Ray florets (sterile):    -   -   Number.—8.        -   Shape.—Obovate, appearance of three longitudinal sections.        -   Size.—Up to 3 cm in length and 2 cm in width.        -   Apex.—Emarginate with 3 notches.        -   Base.—Broadly cuneate.        -   Margins.—Entire on sides, notched on apex.        -   Aspect.—Held flat, perpendicular to peduncle.        -   Texture.—Glabrous on both surfaces.        -   Color.—Upper and lower surfaces when fully open; closest to            14A to 15A, upper and lower surface at petal drop; 21A.-   Disk flowers (male and female):    -   -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared at apex.        -   Size.—About 6 mm in length and 2 mm in width.        -   Color.—In masse; 17A when fully open and maturing to 165A            when ray florets drop, corolla; base (tube) is 150C in            color, flared portions is 11A and translucent.        -   Recepticle.—About 5 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in depth, 144C            to 144D in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers are perfect, ray flowers sterile.        -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, 5 mm in length, style is very fine and            150C in color, bifid pillose stigma is 163A in color with            branches about 1.5 mm in length and recurved, ovary is 2 mm            in length, 1 mm in width, placement is inferior, translucent            and 144D in color.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style,            3 mm in length and 0.7 mm in width, about 202A in color, no            pollen was observed.        -   Fruit.—No fruit development was observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Full Moon’ asherein illustrated and described.